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D6 MOD 7

I've done quite a bit of work in exploring dice mechanics in various games. Here, I'm writing down a different mechanic for a role-playing game that is different from what I've seen. If someone has already developed this idea, then please let me know. The MOD7 part of the name comes from the mathematical operation called modulus. The modulus is the remainder after you divide two numbers. For example, 16 divided by 5 is 3 with a remainder of 1. Another way of saying it is the remainder of 16 divided by 5 is 1. Still further, the modulus 5 of 16 is 1. All three are different ways of saying the same thing. Modulus is a term used when you only care about finding the remainder.

So the MOD7 part of the name means we are looking for the remainder of something after dividing it by 7.

The D6 part of the name means that we are going to roll six-sided dice.

Put them together and you have rolling a number of six-sided dice, and taking the modulus 7 of the result.

Basic Mechanic:

If Attribute + Skill + D6 MOD7 roll is equal to or above a target number, the action has been performed successfully.

D6 MOD7 Roll:

There are two kinds of D6 MOD7 roll, a major and a minor roll. A Major roll is the modulus 7 of the total of rolling three regular six-sided dice. In other words, roll three regular dice, find the total, and figure the remainder after dividing that total by 7. A Minor roll uses two regular dice instead of three. Most players will only use a major D6 MOD7 roll.

Too Much Math?:

At first, it seems like a lot of work to get a number. It becomes automatic after a few rolls. However, if you want a table to make things easier at first, here it is:

3 -- 3
4 -- 4
5 -- 5
6 -- 6
7 -- 0
8 -- 1
9 -- 2
10 - 3
11 - 4
12 - 5
13 - 6
14 - 0
15 - 1
16 - 2
17 - 3
18 - 4

Why bother?

The reasons behind this mechanic are:

  1. the chance to roll a zero
  2. a way to give players a small advantage that is fairly invisible
  3. a more equal chance of rolling any number

Rolling Zero
The chance to roll a zero is to add some variety. Rolling a zero is not an automatic failure. It merely represents those times that 'luck' isn't on your side. The good news is that players have a better chance of rolling anything rather than a zero. Folks that use a minor roll (usually controlled by the game master) have a better chance to roll a zero.

Invisible Advantage
The major roll has more chance of success than a minor roll, but it isn't apparent from anything other than the number of dice thrown. The advantage isn't huge, but it's enough to make a difference. In the math section, you can see the breakdown of exactly how much of an advantage the major roll provides.

Even Distribution of Rolls

Rolling three dice and using the total alone tends to give you average rolls. In other words, you'll roll average rolls more often than small or large rolls. This is seen by many experienced rpg players as giving an advantage to players with powerful characters. Although the distribution isn't as even as just rolling one die, the distribution of rolling 1 through 6 is the same, only rolling a zero is different. For a major roll, roll tend to be something other than zero. For minor rolls, they tend to be zero.

Target Numbers:

Setting a target number for an action is up to the Game Master, though some guidelines are provided later on. To give some meaning to the numbers, descriptive adjectives are provided in order to give a sense of scale.

TN 09 -- Average/Easy
TN 10 -- Tricky
TN 11 -- Challenging
TN 12 -- Difficult
TN 13 -- Demanding
TN 14 -- Extreme
TN 15 -- Legendary

Those familiar with the Action! System should recognize the adjectives. The D6 MOD7 system uses some terminology from the Action! System game as provided by the OGL.

THE MATH:
Nothing extremely technical here, just the percentages of rolling certain things.

Major roll
Roll -- Chance to Roll -- Chance to = or exceed
0 ------- 0.138888889 ------- 1.000000000
1 ------- 0.143518519 ------- 0.861111111
2 ------- 0.143518519 ------- 0.717592593
3 ------- 0.143518519 ------- 0.574074074
4 ------- 0.143518519 ------- 0.430555556
5 ------- 0.143518519 ------- 0.287037037
6 ------- 0.143518519 ------- 0.143518519

Minor roll
Roll -- Chance to Roll -- Chance to = or exceed
0 ------- 0.166666667 ------- 1.000000000
1 ------- 0.138888889 ------- 0.833333333
2 ------- 0.138888889 ------- 0.694444444
3 ------- 0.138888889 ------- 0.555555556
4 ------- 0.138888889 ------- 0.416666667
5 ------- 0.138888889 ------- 0.277777778
6 ------- 0.138888889 ------- 0.138888889

Chess Variants

I have been fascinated lately with variations on chess. The one played by many in Europe, including current Grandmasters, is Janus Chess. The board has two extra spaces (10 x 8 board) and each side has a Janus, a combination of a knight and bishop.

Having a combination piece means that a player can be checkmated with a Janus alone.

Reading about it, though, I stumbled upon a website with many, many different chess variants. People have combined pieces of all kinds, including ones from Shogi (chinese chess) and Tamerlane. Folks come up with some wild variations, including some rather unplayable ones. There's a rabbit that can make as many knight moves in a counterclockwise fashion as it can. (Am I in check from your rabbit? Let me check.) There's variations of the knight that make the "L" longer, wider, or both. There's a checker piece that captures by jumping. The list is really large at chessvariants.org.

My favorite, however, is Chess with Different Armies. Four different armies have been playtested by the inventor and it is fascinating to see a game being played. Both sides are pretty much equal, but the tactics of each of definitely not the same. I imagine a tournament where players can switch armies between matches. I imagine two variant armies squaring off will be the most exciting matches.

If I ever live out my fantasy of opening a store, I'd like to create and sell Chess with Multiple Armies. It could be like the release of Deadwood with new armies every year. Heck, I may do that anyway.

Of course, I also like Arimaa, designed to confound computers. Enjoy the wikipedia reading.

More Cosmetic Changes

It has come to my attention that another role paying game used the term 'Hesperian' to refer to a Roman-based society in an alternate future. Although I came up with Hesberian independent of them, the folks at Steve Jackson Games came up with it quite a bit earlier than I did. I do not want to infringe on their trademarks at all. It's obvious to me that as they have prior art (I know it's not a copyright thing) I need to change.

So, the Hesberian Empire material I came up with will have its name changed again. I am making certain that there are no duplication of specific people mentioned in other products. Awrelius will have a name change to Cutelium, but others with different names should be okay.

Henceforth, the empire that dominated Dira and influences Lenga is known as the Bedrian Empire.

NKQB
Nabrolus Kenuraque Bedrianus
For the Senate and Ken of Bedriana

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